Every Supernatural finale fills me with both joy and dread because even when the Winchesters succeed, things still end badly for them. Car crashes, Lucifer rising, getting trapped in Purgatory; Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) just can't catch ...

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By TV Guide

Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

By TV Guide

Posted May. 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 14, 2013 at 1:21 PM

By TV Guide

Posted May. 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 14, 2013 at 1:21 PM

Every Supernaturalfinale fills me with both joy and dread because even when the Winchesters succeed, things still end badly for them. Car crashes, Lucifer rising, getting trapped in Purgatory; Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) just can't catch a break when it comes to finales! With the stakes even higher this year, I get the feeling their sacrifice will be respectively dire (the fact that the episode is called "Sacrifice" doesn't bode too well, either).

With any details about the finale (Wednesday at 9/8c on The CW) on lockdown, it's up to us to theorize about what's to come. Here's are my predictions:

Sam and Dean cure Crowley. The Demon King has become such a key part of Supernatural since his introduction in Season 5, that it's hard to imagine the show without him. Unfortunately for us Crowley-lovers, all signs are pointing to his downfall. We know that the Winchesters plan to cure Crowley in order to close the gates of Hell and if all goes well, that would leave Crowley alive, but human. Of course, he is still the son of a witch so Crowley might maintain a few of his more nefarious traits, but I wouldn't complain. I'd love to see Crowley pop up now-and-then as a bitter, human antagonist next season.

Metatron isn't to be trusted. Metatron claimed that he had completely separated himself from the angel world, yet he seems to have caught himself up mysteriously quickly. How is it that he had never heard a whisper of the Winchesters or Lucifer's imprisonment, but knew how to find the world's one and only nephilim so fast? I'm not buying it. While I don't think Metatron is working for Naomi, I do suspect he's only the latest to manipulate Castiel's (Misha Collins) good intentions for his own purposes.

Abaddon will take over as Big Bad. If Crowley is cured, that would leave a big opening down below and Abaddon is just the demon to take over! The series has only ever had one female Big Bad before, so why not let us ladies show that we can do bad just as good as anyone else. Plus, the role Abaddon played in their grandfather's death would make the fight against her personal. Avenge your grandfather! Avenge the Men of Letters! Avenge, avenge, avenge!

Page 2 of 3 - The gates of Heaven and Hell will close. I, for one, am very excited about this prospect. While closing the gates of Heaven and Hell would drastically change the show, I think that's exactly what Supernatural needs after a season that has been more than a little uneven (Did we ever get closure on why Sam didn't look for Dean? Amelia - that happened. Why?). By closing the gates, only a finite number of demons would be left on Earth for Sam and Dean to hunt. And while I have nothing but praise for the way creator Eric Kripke completely revolutionized the show's mythology in Season 4, I would love for Supernatural to get back to the basics, such as "saving people, hunting things, the family business." Isn't that what Supernatural's all about? With Heaven and Hell's roles diminished, that would allow the series to put more focus on Sam and Dean's relationship and return to its folk-lore roots.

Castiel will fall from grace. Maybe Castiel is the key to safely curing a demon as strong as Crowley, since his inherent good would be able to cancel out Crowley's evil. Or maybe Castiel loses his grace for betraying the angels in favor of helping the Winchesters. Either way, if the gates do close I expect we'll see Castiel stranded on Earth. Though, I refuse to believe that if Castiel is stranded, he'll maintain his full angelic powers. That'd just be too easy for the Winchesters. And as much as we all love Sam and Dean, we also love to see them suffer - if only to cheer them on each time they overcome.

Sam will become an angel. Okay, maybe this is a little far-fetched. But as we know, the trials aren't killing Sam, they're changing him. The question is: Into what? This season has been all about redemption - something Sam has struggled with since the Yellow-Eyed Demon corrupted him in his cradle. Will the trials finally allow Sam to achieve the purity his demon blood has denied him? If so, what's more pure than an angel? Of course, I don't want Sam to become an angel, but if it's between sacrificing his humanity and sacrificing his life, I definitely prefer the former. Then again, maybe Sam won't have to sacrifice anything at all (yeah, right).

What do you think will be sacrificed? Do you think the gates will close? Share your theories below. Supernatural's season finale airs Wednesday at 9/8c on The CW.